Portable handheld suction/blower apparatus include in various embodiments either a handle unit on which they are carried and guided during operation or they are equipped with a back carrier frame by means of which a back-carried operation is possible. A blower is provided which is driven by an internal combustion engine or an electric motor and generates an air flow. A guide tube conducts flow and is connected to the blower at a connecting location. The guide tube guides the blower air flow into a direction wanted by the operator.
During blower operation, a blower tube is provided for forming an embodiment of the air guide tube and this blower tube is attached to a connecting location at a discharge stub of the blower. The air flow, which is moved by the blower, is guided out from the blower through the blower tube. The blower tube can be directed against a ground surface to be cleaned by the operator whereby, for example, leaves can be blown together to a pile.
Beyond a pure blower function, embodiments are also known which make a suction operation possible. Here, a suction tube and a discharge tube form various configurations of an air guide tube. The suction tube is attached to the blower in the region of the intake opening while the discharge tube is arranged in lieu of the above-described blower tube. During operation, the suction tube can be directed against the ground surface to be cleaned. Leaves, dirt or the like can be drawn in by suction with the blower air flow and can be discharged at the output end of the blower via the discharge tube. The discharge tube opens into a receptacle bag for the inducted material.
A releasable configuration of the connecting locations is provided for the transport of the suction/blower apparatus, the exchange of defective air guide tubes and especially for a retrofit of the suction/blower apparatus between the above-described blower configuration and the suction configuration. By means of a suitable bayonet connection, the individual tube elements can be attached, disconnected or exchanged.
A suction/blower apparatus is disclosed in British patent publication 242,874 wherein a suction tube and a blower tube form an air guide tube which can be disassembled. The corresponding connecting location is configured as a bayonet connection which includes, at one side, a twice interrupted annular flange projecting outwardly and, on the opposite-lying side, two lugs which project radially inwardly. The annular flange is configured to be planar at the end and is placed for assembly on the opposite-lying lugs. Then there is a rotation until the lugs can be passed in axial direction through the interruptions of the annular flange. The two interrupted component sections of the annular flange are configured as inclined ramps on their axial rearward sides. With a rotation, the inclined surfaces effect an axial tightening by coacting with the lugs lying thereagainst.
It is disadvantageous in the above-described arrangement that an axial introduction is possible only with such a relative rotational angular position of the bayonet connection wherein the lugs are in exact alignment with the interruptions of the annular flange. Slight deviations in the rotation angular position, which are recognizable by the operator only with difficulty, lead to the condition that the planar end of the annular flange lies against the lugs without an indication to the operator in which rotational direction an angular correction is required. A determination of the suitable rotational angular position by touching by the operator is hardly possible. Several attempts must be undertaken until, by chance, the lugs can be passed through the cutouts of the annular flange in axial direction.